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Why Gaslighting the Experiences of Black Travelers Is Dangerous
In silence, we can’t share the magic of our unique adventures
Traveling while Black has been the greatest experience of my life. I’ve seen and done things I could never imagine would be part of my reality.
Some highlights thus far: Scuba diving for the first time in the Similan Islands of Thailand, spending four days and three nights in the Thar Desert in India, and hiking Mount Ijen in Java, Indonesia.
While “seeing all the things” has been crazy-wild, traveling while Black and sharing my experiences through writing or in person, has been an adventure in itself.
It’s been a real lesson in trusting myself, my observations, and my experiences.
In sharing my travel adventures as a solo Black woman, I have been met with a disturbing amount of gaslighting and intimidation for no reason other than speaking my truth.
The keyword being my truth.
I’ve been gaslit in the comments here on Medium, on pieces I’ve published for other sites, through private messages and in person.
Gaslighting is a form of emotional manipulation and is used in an attempt to override one’s reality.
